Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3is home to an array of classes which give players different abilities and skills to use in battle. One such class is theBard, a Charisma-based class that uses the power of biting words and music to cast spells and fell enemies. With an abundance of utility, along with large bonuses to skill checks, players who choose the Bard class could see themselves having an easier time traversing the game than if they picked another class.
Though some features of the Bard are shared with other classes, sometimes it is the skills' combined power which make the Bard such a strong candidate for thebest class inBaldur’s Gate 3. Playing Bard also allows players to make certain choices and tackle more difficult skill checks that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to succeed had they picked a different class,making Bards more overpowered than the get credit for.
Updated July 02, 2025, by Hamza Haq:The debate on which class is actually the most useful in Baldur’s Gate 3 has had over a year to fizzle out, yet it’s still going strong. Larian Studios has managed to strike the perfect balance in their class design, allowing every single one of the12 possible classesplayers can pick to be equally viable for clearing the contents of the game. That said, some classes have an edge over others in certain situations, and Bards are the perfect example of that.
Skill monkeys in every sense of the word, these performers can sweet-talk their way out of any situation. Their Jack of All Trades moniker is not just for show. It’s a statement of fact that seeps into all aspects of their gameplay. They can fill in any role in any position, maybe not as well as other classes that only do that one thing very well, but enough to get by. But that doesn’t mean Bards are confined to the role of a substitute. No, for players who are aware of how to use them correctly, Bards become overpowered.
8Thunderwave
Quick And Easy Kills
Thunderwaveis aLevel 1 spellthat Bards can learn immediately when players select the class. It does a decent 2d8 Thunder damage, though its main use comes from its secondary effect. Creatures who fail their Constitution saving throw against this spell not only take full damage, but are also pushed back. In many of the fights players encounter inBaldur’s Gate 3,there is likely to be a cliff edge or similarly deadly chasm which creatures can be shoved into for an instant kill.
This means Bards have access to a multi-target attack on a creature of any size, including bosses, that can potentially kill them instantly. Not only that, but because it is a Level 1 spell, Bards will have plenty of spell slots to recast the spell, even if the creature succeeds the Constitution check the first time.
7Song Of Rest
A Free Heal For The Entire Party
Bards get the featureSong of Restat Level 2, which grants them an additional short rest once per day. The extra short rest means players can achieve more in a single day and don’t have to expend as many resources to heal in between fights. When paired with a class like Warlock or Fighter, which refresh a lot of their spells or features on a short rest, players can find themselves accomplishing more tasks more quickly, without needing to long rest as much.
This is particularly useful for players replayingBaldur’s Gate 3who want to skip through parts they’ve already played faster. Song of Rest can also help newer players without much experience withDungeons and Dragonsand RPGs, as the extra rest between fights will help them recover from battles that other players with more experience could win handily.
6Spell List
The Ultimate Utility
TheBardspell listincludescrowd control, healing, damage output, and buffs, meaning players will always have a spell to pick from at any given moment.Healing Wordcan pick companions up from the brink of death and, at later levels,Mass Cure Woundscan restore a sizable amount of hit points to multiple companions at once. Hold Monster and Confusion are great single-target and multiple-target crowd control, and Long Strider and Enhanced Ability give extra movement speed and advantage on ability checks of a chosen ability.
Also, at Level 10, or at Level 6 as a College of Lore Bard, players gain access to Magical Secrets, a feature that lets Bards learn two spells from a list belonging to other classes. With this ability, players can pick up a spell like Fireball to deal large amounts of damage in an area of effect, completely bypassing the restrictions of the Bard class.
5Performance
Baits Enemy Groups For Easy AoE Damage
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about Bards is their ability to sing, perform, and attract a crowd. This is why it’s often surprising that so few players are aware that this is exactlywhat a Bard is capable of inBaldur’s Gate 3. This is not merely a gimmick of the class, but a core feature that has actual, useful applications in combat.
Players controlling a Bard can use the Performance Free Action to take out their instrument of choice and start—well—performing. Anyone with a Neutral disposition—meaning all characters who are not actively hostile—will be attracted to the spectacle and gather around in a group. This mechanic can be used to bait not-yet hostile enemies into an easy trap. Players can use any powerful area of effect (AoE) spell to start off the encounter with a bang. This tactic is especially useful inAct 1 in the Goblin Camp, where players can clear the courtyard with a single performance check and a well-placed Fireball.
4Bardic Inspiration
Turns Failure Into Success
Bards are able to useBardic Inspirationthree times with every long rest as soon as they start the game at Level 1. Bardic Inspiration allows a Bard to give a 1d6 bonus to themselves or an ally on their next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw as a bonus action. Players will also gain access to Bardic Attack and Bardic Defence, which allow them to use a Reaction to help them on their next attack roll or saving throw, respectively.
This feature scales with levels too. Players will start rolling 1d8 with four charges every short rest at Level 5, and 1d10 with five charges every short rest at Level 10. Using Bardic Inspiration as a Reaction allows players the opportunity to proactively save characters being hit with an attack that requires a saving throw, or help deal the crucial killing blow with an otherwise missed attack on an enemy whoshould be killed.
3Jack Of All Trades
To Become The Ultimate Skill Monkey
Jack of All Tradesis a feature Bards gain at Level 2 and is easily one of the best passive features in the game. The ability adds half a player’s Proficiency bonus to any ability checks they aren’t already proficient in. This is a fantastic feature for players whose main character is a Bard, as they will be the one who initiates most of the dialogues with other characters and will, therefore, make the most skill checks.
As the ability adds a player’s Proficiency bonus, at character Level 9, no matter if a player only has two levels in Bard, the bonus to ability checks increases to +2. Having an extra +1 or +2 can often help players succeed on ability checks they otherwise wouldn’t, which allows players to select dialogue options for skills they are not proficient in and still have a chance fora positive outcome.
2Expertise
Succeeding On Hard DCs
Bard players will gainExpertiseat Level 3, as well as at Level 10. Expertise doubles a Bard’s proficiency bonus in a chosen skill, leading to very high bonuses on rolls. Unlike the other class that gets expertise, the Rogue, Bards are free to choose any skill they are proficient in to get a big bonus. These high bonuses are instrumental in succeeding hard dialogue skill checks, and allow a Bard to make other characters do things they otherwise wouldn’t to aid the Bard.
It is recommended for a Bard to have a high Charisma score, and with Expertise in Persuasion, Bards will find checks such as skipping a phase of the Ketheric Thorm boss fight,one of the trickier battles in the game, or convincing Yurgir to side with the player against Raphael, much easier.
1Skipping Boss Fights
Talking Past Every Thorm Mini-Boss
There is no singular way to encapsulate how good the Bard class can be without mentioning how their skill set is perfectly suited togetting past multiple tough boss fights without having to battleat all. In Act 2, players will need to find a way to best Malus, Thisobald, and Gerringothe Thorm before arriving at Moonrise Towers. Each member of the Thorm family can be killed through dialogue options, with a Bard’s Expertise, Bardic Inspiration, andEnhance Abilityspells all aiding to give the player a hefty bonus to these rolls.
Malus Thorm can be convinced to sacrifice himself for Shar or be brutally killed by his nurses, Thisobald will eventually explode if a player is able to handle Constitution and Performance checks to keep him entertained whilst drinking, and Gerringothe can be convinced that she has been replaced, allowing her to perish without the player ever having to raise a sword. Bypassing thesetough battles in Act 2allows players to save a lot of resources and time, and picking the Bard class will put them in the best position to pull this off.
